Most common 2013 Ford Mustang problems
Share of the 271 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Mustang complaints by model year
Best Mustang years: 2023, 2025, 2021. Years to avoid: 2012, 2011, 2015, 1995, 2005. Compare all years →
2013 Ford Mustang recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2014 Mustang vehicles manufactured April 6, 2004, to June 21, 2014, and 2005-2006 GT vehicles manufactured February 20, 2004, to September 22, 2006.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver side air bag inflator, free of charge.
Exterior lighting › Back up lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford f-150, 2012 expedition and Lincoln navigator, and 2012-2013 mustang vehicles, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard nos.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the trs as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on June 11, 2012.
What 2013 Ford Mustang owners say
Air bags all 145 →
The contact owned a 2013 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another driver failed to yield while entering the roadway, abruptly cutting in front of the contact's vehicle. As a result, the contact was unable to stop in time and collided with the rear driver's side passenger door of the other vehicle. The driver's side air bag did deploy but failed to inflate, which the contact related to the injuries he sustained as a result of the accident. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact did not immediately seek medical attention but later transported himself to an area hospital and was treated for a concussion, neck pain, and back pain. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
Was going 25mph on a straight dry road, 2 traction control lights popped up and an alert saying Advancetrac is off, which is a feature you have to be in park with your foot on the brake and hold the traction control button for 8 seconds to turn off, when the light turned on the car downshift and turned sideways causing me to go into a barrier, steering wheel airbag and passenger airbag both only broke out of the trim and did not inflate fully.
Transmission & drivetrain all 48 →
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that twice while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle began to jerk as the vehicle independently downshifted without warning. After each failure, the contact was unable to accelerate above 35 MPH. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the battery and other engine parts were replaced; however, three days later, the failure recurred. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V190000 (Power Train, Exterior Lighting). The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where she was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the transmission downshifted, and the RPM was elevated. The vehicle then shifted into LIMP Mode and drove erratically. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the fuel gauge was indicating that the fuel tank was empty however, but there was fuel in the tank. The contact stated that the speedometer showed the vehicle at 0 MPH while the RPM was elevated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no failure was found. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Engine & cooling all 23 →
My 2013 Ford mustang 2dr coupe is stalling losing power and engine is completely shutting down while I'm driving on the highway which could cause a fatal crash. The engine light and oil light comes on after this happens but the oil light eventually goes off. This recall is on several vehicles but not mine. The dealership has a week of waiting to take my car in. So in the meantime I have to put myself at risk and continue to drive my car. Something needs to change as to notifying use car owners of recalls.
The coolant reservoir on my vehicle has been replaced now 4 times with the first time being under 5000 on vehicle. The vehicle now has 96000. The same issue happens each time with a crack in the reservoir.
2013 Ford Mustang engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 19 / 30 / 23 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 19 / 29 / 22 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 25 / 19 |
| 5.8L 8-cyl supercharged | 6-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 24 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Ford Mustang a good car?
Based on 271 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Mustang rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Mustang at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ford Mustang?
The air bags — 145 complaints, 54% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (48) and engine & cooling (23).
How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Mustang have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2013 Ford Mustang, the most recent from February 16, 2021 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Mustang?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2025 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2011, 2015, 1995 and 2005. See the full Ford Mustang years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford Mustang problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 40,000 miles; 57% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.